Rodrigo García Movies

Glenn Close co-wrote and stars in this period drama based on the short story The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs by author George Moore, centering on the experiences of a 19th century Irish woman who poses as a man in order to work as a butler at an opulent Dublin hotel for the upper class. Maintaining her elaborate ruse over the course of two decades, Albert (Close) suddenly finds her dedication to the role challenged by the unexpected arrival of a painter who turns out to understand Albert better than anyone she could have imagined. Meanwhile, Albert finds her attempts to help pretty hotel maid Helen (Mia Wasikowska) thwarted when Helen becomes enamored with a charming but callous handyman (Aaron Johnson). Albert Nobbs played at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Ten Mexican filmmakers consider their nation on the centennial of the revolution in this anthology feature. For Revolucion, ten directors were asked to each contribute a ten minute film that in some way dealt with Mexico, its people, its national character and the legacy of the revolution. Actor Gael García Bernal directed Lucio, in which a young boy who is practicing the flag salute for school is confronted by his irreverent brother and must consider his views on patriotism and faith. Mariana Chenillo's La Tienda de Raya (aka The Estate Store) concerns a woman working for a discount store that pays her in company script rather than cash, making it even harder to climb out of poverty. Fernando Eimbcke directed La Bienvenida (aka The Welcome), in which a small town musician patiently waits for his opportunity to perform for a visiting dignitary. Two children come to the rescue of a priest tied to a tree in El Cura Nicolas Colgado (aka The Hanging Priest), a surreal episode by Amat Escalante. Rodrigo García's La 7th y Alvarado (aka At 7th and Alvarado) is an impressionistic piece in which the revolutionaries who fought for freedom and justice in Mexico pay a visit to modern day Los Angeles. Diego Luna's Pacifico tells the story of a man who takes some time off from his family only to discover how much they mean to him. A man trying to get medical help for his injured friend is forced to take desperate action in Gerardo Naranjo's R-100. Rodrigo Plá's 30/30 follows an elderly relative of Pancho Villa who is invited to a public celebration of the revolution but doesn't get the reception he expects. Este Es Mi Reino (aka This Is My Kingdom) by Carlos Reygadas observes a curiously aggressive holiday celebration in which natives and American visitors go on a tear while the community's poor look on. And in Lindo y Querido (aka Beautiful and Beloved) from Patricia Riggen, a family of Mexican expatriates living in America head home to honor an elder's final request. Revolucion received its world premiere at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A grief counselor (Anne Hathaway) begins to suspect foul play when the six airplane crash survivors she is tending to mysteriously begin to disappear and the truth behind the tragedy grows ever more clouded in Nine Lives director Rodrigo García's conspiratorial supernatural thriller. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The first American TV drama series devoted to the subject of polygamy, HBO's Big Love starred Bill Paxton as Bill Henrickson, the owner of a hardware-store chain headquartered in Salt Lake City. Although Bill was no longer an active member of the extremist Mormon sect United Effort Brotherhood, he remained married to three different women at the same time, who lived in neighboring houses with one connected backyard. Jeanne Tripplehorn played Bill's first -- and only "legal" -- wife, Barb, who loved her husband and respected his religious beliefs but wished that she could be certain that she was foremost in his heart. Wife number two, played by Chloë Sevigny, was Nicki Henrickson, who because she had grown up at the United Effort Brotherhood's Juniper Creek compound was somewhat ignorant of the ways of the outside world -- as good an explanation as any for her monumental credit-card bills. The youngest of the wives, played by Ginnifer Goodwin, was Margene Henderson, who was understandably confused and disoriented by the unique situation in her household. Because he lived and worked in a country where polygamy was a crime, Bill was forced to jump through hoops to keep his multiple-marital status a secret, thus enabling wife Nicki's father, Roman (Harry Dean Stanton), self-styled "prophet" of Juniper Creek, to blackmail Bill into giving him a sizeable chunk of his business profits. Also in the cast were Bruce Dern and Grace Zabriskie as Bill's parents, Franklin and Lois, who still lived at Juniper Creek, as did their other grown son, Joey (Shawn Doyle), who in turn had given up a promising football career to remain at the compound with his wife, Wanda (Melora Walters). Other main cast members included Daveigh Chase as Roman's new child bride, Rhonda; Joel McKinnon Miller as Bill's best friend, business partner, and fellow polygamist Don Embry; and Amanda Seyfried, Douglas Smith, and Jolean Wejbe as Bill and Barbara's children, Sarah, Ben, and Tancy. Though the basic situation was frankly nothing to laugh at, a great deal of wry and risqué humor arose from the byplay amongst the many cast members, and from the tortuously twisted plot convolutions. Created by Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, the weekly, hour-long Big Love debuted March 12, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A recent college graduate is forced to choose between a life of limitless wealth and complacent security or a potentially dangerous trip down the road less traveled in first-time director Kevin Noland's tale of love and youth told against the backdrop of the Running of the Bulls. Chris McKinley (Joshua Jackson) has decided to celebrate his college graduation by backpacking through Europe with his best friend, Ryan (Timm Sharp), and Ryan's girlfriend, Michelle (Ruthanna Hopper). With time running short before he returns to the United States and sets out on the fast track to success, Chris attempts to pack as much adventure as possible into his last three days until he locks glances with dark-haired Spanish beauty Adela (Leonor Varela). Now challenged to re-examine his priorities by both the vital young woman and a mysterious stranger named Riccardo (Dennis Hopper), Chris must search the whole of his heart and soul to find out what he really wants most out of life. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

In the middle of the night, Ben (Nick Stahl) brings Ruthie's (Adrienne Barbeau) body back to the carnival, hides her in her trailer, and tells Gabriel (Brian Turk) to stand guard. Then he goes to Lodz (Patrick Bauchau) for help. Lodz brings him to Management, who seems to know an awful lot about Ben and his gift. He explains that Ben can only bring Ruthie back to life by taking the life of another, and he must choose the life he takes. Rita Sue (Cynthia Ettinger) and Stumpy (Toby Huss) discuss each other's indiscretions, and agree to try to make their marriage work. Sophie (Clea Duvall) argues with Apollonia (Diane Salinger) again, and tells her she's leaving that night. She later makes flirtatious plans to meet both Jonesy (Tim DeKay) and Libby (Carla Gallo) after the show. A state trooper comes looking for Ben. Samson (Michael J. Anderson) protects him, but after hearing about his meeting, he tells him that, to Management, people are "pieces moving around on a board," and warns him not to bring harm to anyone connected to the carnival. Ben goes into town to look for a potential victim, but he can't bring himself to murder anyone. He sits down in a local graveyard and slashes his own throat. Scudder (John Savage) suddenly appears beside him, telling him, "It doesn't work that way. You're meant for greater things." Ben will have to make a choice. Meanwhile, Justin (Clancy Brown) makes a deal with Dolan (Robert Knepper) to get his message out to the world. Norman (Ralph Waite) confronts Justin, and in attempting to reveal Norman's greatest sin, Justin makes a shocking discovery about his own nature. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

When the traveling carnival comes upon Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl), out in the Oklahoma dust in 1934, he's trying to bury his recently departed mother, while a man from the bank threatens to bulldoze their little house. Jonesy (Tim DeKay) helps out, gathering a group of carnies together to dig a grave. He notices the broken chain on Ben's leg, and when they pull out, with police sirens in the distance, the carnival takes Ben with them. Samson (Michael J. Anderson), the dwarf who runs the carnival, later tells Jonesy that "Management" had been expecting the mysterious stranger. Soon, Ben meets Lila (Debra Christofferson), the bearded lady; Lodz (Patrick Bauchau), the blind mentalist who peers into Ben's frightening dreams; and Sofie (Clea Duvall), a young woman who reads tarot cards and has a telepathic link with her mother, Apollonia (Diane Salinger). Ben isn't particularly friendly, and, though he has no prospects, isn't interested in joining the carnival when Samson offers to take him on, at Management's behest. After rescuing Sofie from some ruffians in town, she does a tarot reading for him, and nearly scares him off, speaking to him of his "hidden talent." Ben has an inkling of what that terrible power might be. Meanwhile, out in California, Brother Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown) preaches to his flock with the help of his devoted sister, Iris (Amy Madigan). Crowe, like Ben, plagued by mysterious and horrific visions, reveals a strange power of his own when he confronts a destitute woman who stole from the church's collection plate. The premiere episode of Carnivàle was written by the show's creator, Daniel Knauf, and directed by Rodrigo García (Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her). ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

The carnival rolls into Tipton, where they find themselves less than welcome. The town is in bad shape, and the sheriff, Lyle Donovan, knows Samson (Michael J. Anderson), and his business, and warns him not to set up shop. Jonesy (Tim DeKay) takes Ben (Nick Stahl) into town for supplies, where Ben sees a truck with "Big Sky Farms" written on the side, just like in the old photo he found of his mother. Before he can pursue it, he's recognized by the grandmother of the little girl he healed in the first episode, and swarmed by a crowd. This gives Jonesy the idea to present the carnival to Tipton as a revival, with Ben as a faith healer. Samson gets the endorsement of a local preacher by promising him a cut of the gate. The show goes off pretty well, with Ruthie (Adrienne Barbeau) posing as a cancer victim whom Ben lays hands on. Apollonia (Diane Salinger) gets Sofie (Clea Duvall) to give Ben a lift into town so he can look for the farm truck. This leads him to Becca Donovan (Deborah Strong), a sick old woman who was friends with Scudder (John Savage), and knows that Ben has the same gift. Before she can tell him more, her son, the sheriff, shows up and throws Ben out. On the way back to the show, Sofie gets into an argument with Ben over his secretiveness, and Ben is late for his faith healing show, which Lyle interrupts to demand that Ben heal his dying mother. Meanwhile, Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown) is making great progress turning Chin's into a church for the migrants. But the local city council tries to stop him, incurring his supernaturally powerful wrath. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Directed and written by Rodrigo Garcia, Ten Tiny Love Stories features ten women who, in a series of monologues, talk about the men who have made the largest impact on their respective lives. Though each woman is unique in her experiences with love, sex, death, loss, and many other aspects of the human condition, they all have one thing in common: their memories are the only remaining connection they have to the man who affected them to an extent he will probably never realize. Ten Tiny Love Stories is Garcia's second feature film, and features Kathy Baker, Radha Mitchell, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Debi Mazar, and Elizabeth Peña. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

After being attached to a number of actors, directors, and producers, this long-gestating biography of one of Mexico's most prominent, iconoclastic painters reaches the screen under the guiding hand of producer/star Salma Hayek. Hayek ages some 30 years onscreen as she charts Frida Kahlo's life from feisty schoolgirl to Diego Rivera protégée to world-renowned artist in her own right. Frida details Kahlo's affluent upbringing in Mexico City, and her nurturing relationship with her traditional mother (Patricia Reyes Spindola) and philosophical father (Roger Rees). Having already suffered the crippling effects of polio, Kahlo sustains further injuries when a city bus accident nearly ends her life. But in her bed-ridden state, the young artist produces dozens upon dozens of pieces; when she recovers, she presents them to the legendary -- and legendarily temperamental -- Rivera (Alfred Molina), who takes her under his wing as an artist, a political revolutionary, and, inevitably, a lover. But their relationship is fraught with trouble, as the philandering Rivera traverses the globe painting murals, and Kahlo languishes in obscurity, longing to make her mark on her own. Frida was directed by Julie Taymor, whose Broadway production of The Lion King won her international acclaim. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

David (Michael C. Hall) is forced to face his fears and insecurities about his sexuality in the wake of the homophobic murder of a gay man, while Billy's (Jeremy Sisto) latest prank forces Nate (Peter Krause) to agree with Brenda's parents that their son should be institutionalized. Brenda (Rachel Griffiths), however, isn't quite ready to agree. Meanwhile, Claire (Lauren Ambrose) tells her therapist a thing or two about the erratic Gabe, and Ruth (Frances Conroy) tells Robbie, a fellow florist, a thing or two about her secret love life. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi